September 16, 2015
Guam festival allows Aotearoa artists to engage with Pasifika whanau
One Hundred Maori and Pasifika artists have been picked to represent the country in next year’s Festival of Pasifika Arts in Guam.
Muriwai Ihakara from Creative New Zealand says the selection was based on how they proposed to respond to the festival’s theme, which is What we Own, What we Have, What we Share, United Voices of the Pacific.
It’s the largest arts festival in the Pacific rim with 27 countries and cultures represented, and it’s always a major undertaking for the council.
" Costs are relative to developing Aotearoa artists to be ready for the international market. Allowing some kind of external intervention and cultural engagement for our artists so that it broadens their practice and allows them an opportunity to engage with our pacific brothers and sisters" says Muriwai Ihakara.
Artists chosen include Lisa Reihana, whose massive video work in Pursuit of Venus (Infected) drew record crowds to the Auckland Art Gallery, Baye Riddell and others from the National Collective of Clayu Artists, and Hoturoa Barclay-Kerr from Te Toki Voyaging Trust.
There’s also Te Matatini winners Te Whanau-A-Apanui, a new contemporary dance piece featuring Louise Potiki Bryant. Paerau Corneal and Paddy Free, a theatre group Party with the Aunties, and James Webster and Hinemoa Jones will take their singing Maori puppets.
FOR THE FULL INTERVIEW WITH MURIWAI IHAKARA CLICK ON THE LINK
https://secure.zeald.com/uma/play_podcast?podlink=MzI0NDk=
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